Dies Irae
by Ed3n001
Summary: A different take on the events in the Galaxy-far-far-away, in which Leia succumbs to the Dark Side and the Empire triumphs over the Rebellion. Luke Skywalker is on the run, haunted by his past. Drastic changes approach and nobody knows just how much they will affect everything...
1. Chapter 1

_**7 ABY**_

_**Emperor's Throne Room, the Imperial Palace**_

There was only silence now. Even the quiet buzzing of her lightsaber had halted in the wake of her accomplishment.

The sparse hall was empty save for Darth Averiss and her victim.

The steps leading to the elevated platform on which once stood a throne were now reduced to heaps of twisted metal and rubble. Morning light shore through enormous, round windows, bringing life to the scene, in all of its morbid glory.

The man that had once been her tormentor laid on the ground in a bloodied heap, his battered carcass unrecognizable. She made sure he'd paid for all that was due. The tyrant's reign was over - finally, after so much loss and suffering, Averiss was the sole victor - she had beaten him at his own game. Years of scheming took their toll on her, but she didn't mind it anymore. The cold touch of the dark side brought her only reassurance and comfort.

The self-proclaimed Lady of the Sith couldn't understand why she had been so reluctant to immerse herself in the currents of the dark side before - in a different life. So much would have been avoided if only her weak-minded past self had had the guts to do what _had to be done _and the courage to _take_ what was _rightfully_ hers.

Regret for her prior actions now became fuel for the fire that was blooming within her soul. It burned away any doubts that may have once lurked in the corners of her mind, giving her the resolve needed to set things right.

She could, at last, make do on a promise she had made so long ago - on a stormy night when she was alone and grieving. It was a promise to herself, as well as to anyone that she had ever loved.

The visage of her dear brother appeared in her mind's eye. She could see his ruffled, sandy-blond hair, his blue eyes and the smile he often wore, back when things used to be much simpler. Curiosity as to where he could be never ceased wearing her down.

Averiss knew she would find him, she just hoped it happened sooner than later. He was hiding from what he thought was the Emperor - the knowledge of his death may yet draw Luke out, right into her waiting embrace. And her family will be complete, once and for all.

Suddenly there was a loud rumble which no doubt signaled a massive door being opened. She stood with her back to the entrance, still admiring her doing.

The sound of systematic breathing filled the room, right along with loud, reverberating footsteps.

"Daughter?" She heard the vocoder say, in the low-toned, surprisingly human voice. And was that a hint of concern she noted?

"As you can already see, I have secured our rule of the Galaxy. Without your help."

Vader was fast approaching the remains of the once-great Emperor Palpatine. He stopped next to her and stood there in silence. After an excruciatingly long while, he spoke again.

"We must rally our followers and crush our enemies before they can take action. There must not be another Civil War on our hands." His conviction could be heard.

"I know. It will be done. You remember that I have trained for this. Unless you forgot?"

At the edge of her hearing, she caught a strange sound coming from Vader. It was probably a product of the vocoder's poor attempts at translating a sigh.

* * *

He stood in front of the large window overlooking the massive, planet-spanning city of the Imperial Center.

Traven Deccol was nothing more than an insignificant cog in the Imperial machine before he met Her Majesty. Since that time he came a long way - just mere hours ago he was nominated as the new Empress's personal Aide.

Since the Death Star's destruction and the chaos it induced, Traven began slowly losing his faith in Emperor Palpatine's actions. Especially the unrest that arose in the Outer Rim had troubled him - worlds began slipping from the Empire's influence, turning to the quickly growing Rebellion.

Not to speak of the 'tragedy' that had befallen Alderaan. It was that way which COMPNOR had called it - a _necessary evil_ in the face of the greater good_. _It was more like a simple _kriffing_ genocide to him.

He used to have family there - he himself came from Corellia, but he often visited the planet when on leave, to see his brother and wife.

They were both loyal citizens of the Empire - didn't deserve death. And now he could never get them back, could never see Alla smile again... He stopped himself before he delved into his memories, the wounds still fresh even after so many years.

Traven and many others similarly disillusioned with the state of affairs in the Empire had often debated about the ways the situation could be improved - back then, topics of their conversations could be called treasonous by some.

Yet they knew none of their ideas could come into life with their current ruler. Unfortunately, Palpatine had been the only thing keeping the power-hungry Moffs in check, preventing the Empire from collapsing in on itself.

He had been sure there could be no hope for a change - the closest person with enough authority to seize power was Darth Vader, the Emperor's second-in-command, but he had never manifested enough interest in politics for anyone to care.

So Traven just miserably drifted from one day to another, until she came.

When a mysterious woman draped in black had appeared in his office, he wanted nothing more than to call security. Still, she explained to him that she had knowledge of his thoughts on the Emperor - told him she had a proposition he won't be able to refuse.

And she was right about that.

After their little encounter, Traven had agreed to become her eyes and ears in the Imperial Military. Their cooperation had been fragile and filled with mistrust at first, but they learned to depend on each other as more time passed.

Little by little, the circle of their allies grew larger until they finally created a full-scale operation devoted to overthrowing Emperor Palpatine.

He had to admit - Darth Averiss was a master politician, even if she was young.

And she gave him a purpose - something he yearned for since the Death Star and the death of his sweet A-... the deaths of many innocent people, he corrected himself.

He couldn't think about _her_ \- not now, not ever again.

Only thanks to Lady Averiss he was here, victorious. Traven finally could make some real changes to the corrupt system, with her approval, of course. His loyalty to the Empress was unbroken.

It had to be if he wanted to stay where he was.

Even in the face of the burning buildings in front of him, he had to be loyal. To the very end. Even when doubt and fear nagged at his mind like never before.

Flames from the various fires had cast the sky in a sinister shade of crimson. The whine of the Tie Fighters could be heard through the thick glass of the windows in the Imperial Palace. There was terror in the air, almost a palpable thing.

The Empress had made it so every single Empire's official on the Imperial Center who still openly supported the old Emperor had to be killed by the end of the day.

It was cruel - he realized that much. But it was... a necessary evil.

He understood the concept now, even if it made him want to retch. Was he a hypocrite? Maybe. At least this wasn't simple propaganda and the people that were killed weren't exactly innocent - they deliberately refused to accept change!

Darth Averiss always knew what she was doing, and so she had his eternal trust. She was the light in the darkness, the one and only person who had given him hope.

* * *

When she had emerged on the massive platform overlooking a sea of people, she was almost deafened by a thunderous roar.

It was the final stage of her ascension to the throne - a testament for the Empire's citizens. A show for the masses, almost like a parade.

The people ought to know who their new Empress was.

Darth Averiss used to despise public celebrations - they always seemed so fake to her. Of course, she grew up around them, being a member of the Alderaanian court and all. During such social gatherings, there were always masks one had to hide behind. With a forced smile, she would talk to distinguished guests, exchanging handshakes and small talk. It would leave her feeling miserable and bored out of her mind - nearly drained.

This time, it was different.

This time, there was no mask for her to wear. Only Averiss and her victory remained. She was finally unrestrained by false loyalties.

_Through victory, her chains were broken._

Prompted by an impulse, she rose her hands high into the air, as if trying to encompass the vastness of space in front of her.

The crowd erupted in even louder cheers. The plethora of feelings coming from many beings at once flooded her brain. She could feel their joy and satisfaction. Although, there was also apprehension and uncertainty. Even a hint of terror had radiated from some.

No matter the feeling, she let herself revel at the sight of so many at her call. A lifetime ago, she would probably be disgusted by watching such a scene - by the blind obedience of people. Now, she had learned to appreciate such a thing, as common in various species across the Galaxy as it was.

Just a few years ago, she didn't think there was any other way to beat the Empire than through the Rebellion - and she was right, there wasn't. And even the Rebellion had failed, a pathetic little thing it became in the waning days of the war.

For the Empire was there to stay - it just had to have a right ruler. Palpatine had been but a pitiful excuse of one. That was something that took her old self a long time to realize.

There had been only one person that could take the throne and make the Galaxy as it was supposed to be.

"Citizens of the Empire!" Her voice echoed off numerous skyscrapers, artificially enhanced. As if on cue, the crowd had plunged into silence.

Holocameras hovered all around Averiss, recording her every move. They were also placed across the immensely huge gathering which was a mix of her followers, as well as ordinary souls who were curious enough to come to watch.

"As your new Empress, I shall ensure that every man and woman who should threaten the sovereignty and safety of the people will be severely punished. In my Empire, there is no place for senseless destruction and thoughtless slaughter of ones innocent.

"Emperor Palpatine's promises of stability and peace were but a fraud! He has allowed Alderaan to be destroyed. He let a Civil War rage on for years! Only thanks to the brilliant strategy of one person could come out victorious - and barely, at that. The man has proven himself incapable of leading a strong and secure nation time and time again, and hence he was removed from power.

"The followers of the late Emperor - the warmongers, who have been polluting the Empire since it's creation, spreading false beliefs and lies were dealt with. The remaining individuals who would insist on supporting the old Emperor and spreading deceit will be hunted down and brought to justice even from the farthest corners of the Galaxy. They can't be allowed to continue corrupting our system, the Galaxy and its inhabitants.

"With your help, my dear followers, I have protected the Galaxy from chaos and division. I shall push the Empire into a true age of greatness and prosperity, where the citizens don't have to fear for their lives on a daily basis. I will make it so that the Empire will truly last for generations, all the while realizing the mission it was brought to life for - protecting you! I promise that to you, as well as to every being that is touched by my influence."

Averiss could hear eager applause from all directions once again.

It was complete. She was officially the Empress now.

The Sith Lady felt joy stir up in her chest. Finally, after so many hardships, she won. She had known the taste of defeat, having it served to her on a silver platter on so many occasions when she still used to be Leia Organa - it made gaining a victory so much sweeter.

For a moment, she even wanted to laugh.

From this day forth, nothing would stand in her way.


	2. Chapter 2

_**7 ABY**_

_**Outer Rim Territories, Hutt Space**_

_**Cyrkon**_

_**A few days after the Crimson Uprising began**_

Luke sat at the bar, his head buried in his hands. He could already feel the beginnings of an oncoming headache.

Just minutes ago, there had been a disturbance in the Force. Something huge had shifted - changed in ways indescribable. He just wasn't sure _what_. It was as if a void had been snuffed out... At the same time, the outline of the Force stayed as it used to be - rough and rugged, signifying the oppressive presence of the Dark Side all around the Galaxy.

However, it had been also somewhat muffled, which meant it must've come from a great distance away. It was like an echo... an echo of something great. Something which came to pass some time ago but remained obscured by powers unknown, up until now. The strangeness of this disruption sent a needle prick of worry into his mind.

"You okay there, buddy?" Somebody nudged him at his shoulder. "Drunk a one too many?"

"Oh... no, I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." Luke turned to the patron, his trademark sheepish smile plastered across his face. "Don't concern yourself with me." He put a slight Force suggestion into his voice.

"Alrigh' then, whatever. I don't care anyway..." The man got back to drinking by himself, a little dazed but otherwise indifferent. With satisfaction, Luke noted how well his persuasion had worked - of course, he realized the Force was not to be used on a whim, but he was desperate for solitude at the moment.

Distractions couldn't get in the way - not today. Not when he was finally an inch from achieving something that could actually help him make a difference.

Although the sudden disturbance still deeply confused him, Luke knew he had to stay focused on the matters at hand. Having fought down the impeding migraine, he decided to try and orient himself in the Force later. If everything went according to plan, there would be lots of time for him to meditate in.

His search for this particular contact had stretched for weeks on end. For the first time, he was certain he had found himself in the right place. The only thing left to do was to wait for the signal from the barkeeper - a shady-looking Devaronian.

Giddy anticipation couldn't leave his gut. At last, he allowed a flicker of hope to enter his mind.

After two years of fruitless seeking, he managed to track down someone with means of communication to Lando Calrissian.

When the war had ended, it was as if time itself had stopped. The understanding that he lost what may have been the last chance at rescuing his sister had nearly destroyed him.

Leia was the only person he truly cared for left in his life. And he, the karking _fool_, managed to lose her, too.

Luke could still see the images from that fateful night in his mind's eye as if it had all happened yesterday. The rain, the _screams_. Han, as he looked at him, with horrifying realization in his eyes.

_"Listen... Find the princess, kid. Take... your sister and get out... of here..."_

_"Han! What are you talking about?! I'm not leaving you here. I'm not leaving anyone in this kriffing hellhole! No- don't try to speak! Look, you're bleeding out and-"_

_A cold, bloodied hand grabbed him by the wrist. _

_"...please. Just go- run. Tell her that..."_

_"Stop, Han! You're making it worse! We have to wait-" He felt his eyes slowly water._

_'Snap out of it!' _

He stopped, as abruptly as he could. His hands shook and his heart hammered in his chest as if it was about to pop out any second.

_'Breath in, breathe out, repeat. Calm down, you can do this.'_

Luke managed to steady himself, relatively quickly. After a few years of practice, it became easier. Though the memories still always came back at the worst of times. '_Focus!'_

The awareness that he might not have a second opportunity like this anywhere in the near future had also helped him compose himself.

The Devarionian finally approached him. He put down a glass half-filled with a bubbling, reddish liquid.

"Here's your drink. The Red Rancor's Cocktail, was it? Are you really sure you want to drink that? Heard it wasn't so good for humans. Makes them go all... queasy and stuff. Y'know what I mean."

"Seriously? Well... I'll still take it. I have to if I want to win that bet with Hisel... you know how it is." Luke answered with the code phrase that he had been given by the contact.

Thankfully, from the looks of it, nobody was listening in on their odd exchange. Loud music was blaring from all directions and everyone was either too intoxicated or occupied to care. The horned alien glanced around the shabby cantina and slowly reached for something under the bar.

Two humanoid silhouettes emerged from the back entrance. One happened to be much taller than the other and they wore identical, blue-grey armor along with helmets that covered their features. He observed them cautiously, at the same time attempting to look as inconspicuous as possible.

They moved through the thicket of people, sometimes pushing a drunk patron out of the way. When they reached him, he felt a sudden jolting sensation rip through the Force.

It was a warning.

Something wasn't right - it wasn't supposed to go like this! But what could have changed in such a short span of time? Just a moment ago, the Force seemed to almost beckon him here - now, it was as if an invisible alarm had gone off in his head.

"What is the meaning of th-?" He attempted to ask the bartender, but the Devaronian was already gone.

Luke abruptly stood up, abandoning all pretenses of being a simple customer. A few onlookers had zeroed in on him, probably curious about the commotion.

"You will go with us." The shorter one hissed out through his helmet, his voice not quite human.

"And why should I?" The feeling of danger only intensified the longer the two stood before him. Where did they want to take him? He was aware of the bounty on his head. The contact had assured him that he didn't want anything to do with the Empire - and it had felt _true, _at the time_._

"You will go with us, for we have your precious Lando Calrissian. Try any tricks, and he will die."

_'Kriff! Well, looks like Lando has gotten himself into trouble. Again.' _Luke mentally berated himself for not expecting such an outcome... It was but too common when it came to the man.

Two years' time and nothing had changed! In a way, it was almost reassuring.

"Alright... I'll go. Just- who are you?" He probed, in hopes that it wouldn't put them off too much.

"We are an association of-" The bigger one started to answer, but the other cut in before he could finish.

"That is none of your concerns! Now move, before your friend pays for your insubordination."

They were bounty hunters, essentially. Probably not members of the Bounty Hunters' Guild but freelancers, operating out of the Empire's sights.

"Fine!" He put his arms up in a placating gesture. "There's no need to get hasty, trust me."

Luke decided to humor them, for now. He let the larger man rather thoroughly search him. Unfortunately, Luke's lightsaber, along with the small blaster he carried around at all times landed in his captors' hands.

The duo led him out of the establishment, out on the crowded streets. The large dome which shielded the massive, heavily urbanized city of Motok from the planet's toxic atmosphere loomed over their heads. The bounty hunters flanked him from both sides as they made their way to _Force-knows-where. _Luke passed many people, none of which paid any mind to them. It was something very commonly seen on planets such as Cyrkon, where crime ran rampant.

_'Where are they taking me?'_

I didn't take them too long to arrive at what seemed to be a private landing bay. After having approached a huge durasteel door the shorter hunter tapped a few buttons on the small console situated right next to it.

As the door whooshed open, the bigger hunter pushed Luke inside.

"Better keep on walking, ya hear me!?"

"I wasn't planning on stopping..." Luke said, trying to appease the giant.

He wasn't planning on stopping _just yet, _anyway. They would lead him to whoever had orchestrated this - the Force was telling him as much.

* * *

"Listen to me, Zuri-"

"There will be no more 'listening'. No after what you've done."

He intended to say something more but was abruptly silenced by the Zabrak's icy glare. Lando had found himself in a rather uncomfortable position, being forced to sit at a table in a pair of 'cuffs with a very angry, almost seething Zuri - his former associate... an ally, maybe even a friend at some point!

She was very, _very _upset with him now.

"Your Jedi friend is heading here as we speak. Let's hope the bounty on his head can cover what your foolish actions caused..."

"Zuri- No- No, don't silence me now. What I have to say is important. Extremely!" She sent him another one of her trademark glares and slowly reached for her blaster. "You and I - we are both enemies of the Empire. And we both know they would execute you on the spot! Are you really that desperate? Or have you simply gone crazy!? We can still cut the Crimson Dawn a deal or two. The bounty on Luke's head is ridiculously big, hell if I wouldn't know. Doesn't that seem a tiny bit suspicious-" Lando decided it was safer to once again stop talking, as the angry woman now held a blaster to his face.

"The rules have changed, _Calrissian_." She spat his name as if it was a curse. He decided that it was time to look into her eyes. Having mustered a lot of courage (he was, after all, a very courageous person!), he decided that against all odds Zuri needs to be convinced to stop this madness, and _quickly_. If not, this would end in an even bigger disaster. Lando was aware she was grieving - after all, he was, as well. But he didn't just go blaming her for something none of them had any control over!

"The rules have changed? What? 'The rules' don't just change overnight! The Empire is still-"

"They _do_. They just did! You may not be aware, but I have been pardoned."

"You have been _pardoned_? By whom? Do you think they would ever pardon you, after what you did!? And you worked with none other than kriffing _Saw Gerrera_ for years. Zuri, you are smarter than this! They will kill you, and me and every single one of your goons once they get here."

"You really don't understand, do you? Ah, well. It's better that you don't, for the time being."

Lando just shook his head, resigned. He was hoping Luke - oh, how long hadn't he seen _that face - _had some sort of a plan. He generally had one, as well as the Force - it made him sort of a wildcard, to say the least.

* * *

After a trek through a dimly lit corridor, they arrived at the second door. This one didn't have a console next to it, but there was a camera at the top.

The Force was sending wisps of urgency - someone was in a hurry. Also... troubled. The emotions of sadness, grief, anger, and guilt had mixed with each other, creating an almost explosive concoction. He was fairly sure Lando was somewhere out there, too.

"It's us, boss. Juttar and Gornak. We have him."

A low murmur could be heard and the door opened, revealing a room with slightly better lighting, full of crates and such. There was a somewhat small ship placed on a platform, right below an elevated ceiling. It was a bit rough around the edges but he could tell that the craft was probably capable of a decent speed.

This was a private hangar all right.

There was also one detail that stood out from the rest. A metal table, bolted to the floor, surrounded by various boxes. At the table, there sat two silhouettes - one of them was unmistakably Lando, while the other seemed more feminine.

As they approached, he could make out that it was a Zabrak, as well. Her hair was dark brown and cut short, exposing the horns protruding from her forehead. When she noticed him, the woman rapidly stood up.

"There he is!" She exclaimed, with a rather dangerous glint in her eyes. Luke could sense a tiny bit of greed in between her conflicting emotions of despair and anger. So it was her - she was the mastermind behind all this. The contact. He still couldn't wrap his head around her deception - how in all of the worlds had she managed to fool the _Force _itself? Or was the Force... fooling him? How? _Why_? This woman wasn't Force Sensitive, he managed to gather as much, so it couldn't have been her direct influence. It must've been someone else, then.

A shiver ran up his spine. _'Someone else. Oh, Force...'_

He barely managed to suppress the memories which came crashing back against his mental walls like a tidal wave. Luke was hiding for so long - how could they have found him _now_? Had the Emperor known all along, but played everyone for a fool, even Vader? Was that _blasted_ disturbance he felt before somehow connected to all of this? _'But, that's impossible.'_

He inwardly released all of his fear and worry into the Force. _'I need to focus on the now.' _

Luke was certain of one thing - he needed to grab Lando and get away from here, fast. There were too many unknown factors. _'He better explain himself after we leave.'_

"Here I am. And there is my friend, Lando. I was under the impression that he was your friend, too? Or an ally? Either way, I must admit this isn't what I expected."

Lando looked at him and waved with his handcuffed hands like there was no tomorrow, but stayed silent.

"I was his associate... but things change, I'm afraid. Calrissian here-" She pointed at him, her tone accusatory. "Has betrayed me. And now, he is going to pay for all that he has caused. Starting with his friend - you. There is a more than a decent amount of credits for your head, Jedi."

"I see that you are aware of the bounty on me - they pay for 'alive only', though." He paced a step towards the Zabrak. The mercenaries immediately perked up, ready to restrain him, but the woman waved them off. She was clutching a blaster in her right hand very tightly, but other than that she gave no signs of being perturbed by Luke. "What is your name?" The sudden change of topic seemed to have surprised her a bit.

"What's that to you?"

"My name is Luke. I believe introducing oneself is simply a polite thing to do, nothing more." The woman now looked at him as if he was some kind of a strange, outlandish creature from another galaxy. A slight feeling of embarrassment blossomed in his chest. _'Well, this could've gone better...'_

"Zuri. We won't be talking for long. As you can see, you are surrounded. And there are more of my men in the area - they most definitely won't let you or this sorry excuse of a smuggler escape, so don't even try it." She said, confident. This would have been a terrible situation for him... if he didn't have the Force. Zuri made a mistake many people make when they are faced with someone known as a Jedi (and he was the only Jedi left, as far as he knew) - she assumed that without his lightsaber, or any other weapon for that matter, he was powerless. Force was a myth to many, and it often worked to his advantage.

"A sorry excuse of a smuggler? Oh, come on, Zuri..." Lando finally decided to speak up. It seemed to distract the Zabrak, and her anger once again flared up in the Force like a shining beacon.

"Open your mouth one more time and I swear I'll shoot you!" She pointed her blaster right at him. Lando seemed to be taken aback, but his eyes were calm. For a second, he locked them with Luke. After that, he noded.

Luke knew exactly what he had to do.

He let the unseen currents of the Force coil around him and _yanked_.

Without any warning, the taller bounty hunter (Gornak, was it?) crashed at the smaller one, pushed by an invisible power. They flew across the hangar and pummelled right at the metal crates, causing them to fly in all directions and spill across the room. An unpleasant cracking sound accompanied their landing.

They were out of the picture... for now.

There was a dull thud, which signified that the smuggler dropped to the ground, followed by a sound of a blaster going off. Luke refocused his attention at Zuri, and with relief noted that she had missed. Lando rolled across the floor while Luke tackled the Zabrak.

He grabbed her right hand, causing the blaster to fall from her grip. In retaliation, she swung a powerful kick at his abdomen, knocking him back. He paced a few careful steps backward, to get out of range, while she literally threw herself at him. She swung fists and kicked, missing him by mere millimeters - she was undoubtedly fast. Thankfully, he mostly knew where the Zabrak would try to strike him before she did it. Luke dodged and sidestepped, heeding the warnings whispered to him by the Force, at the same time trying his best to tire Zuri out.

There was a split second of hesitation on his part, and he felt a fist connect to his right cheek. A sudden feeling of alarm took hold of him. Everything in his vision darkened, and a dull ache followed a few seconds later.

As the world zoomed in and out of focus, he fought to regain his bearings.

She took her opening, knocked him to the ground and tried to headlock him... but he managed to gather his wits about him at the last second and threw his hands out in front of him, successfully Force pushing her. Zuri hit the metal wall with a loud thump and slid back on the ground, still conscious. There was some blood pooling from across her scalp, dripping on her face. She was breathing heavily, having had the air knocked out of her lungs.

_'She is very tough.'_

Luke now stood in front of her, his hands raised, showing no weapon nor any more hostile intent.

"I don't want to fight you, Zuri. I'm sorry it had to come to this! I can't let you hurt Lando, though. Or get myself caught, for that matter. Maybe we could-"

A stun bolt passed next to him and hit the Zabrak square in the chest before she managed to get through the daze.

He sighed and looked over at Lando, who now stood just behind him, without the handcuffs and with Zuri's blaster in hand.

"Now, this was a bit unnecessary..."

Luke just lost the opportunity to ask Zuri whom she got her orders from... he stifled the rising emotions and calmed himself, releasing them into the Force.

"Oh, it was necessary, trust me on that. She is one tough player and she is currently very, and I mean _very, _mad at me." Lando grimaced, breaking his usual calm-and-scoundrel-y like mask, revealing a plethora of emotions. He seemed... exhausted, for the most part. Exhausted, and maybe even a bit sad.

"Is everything okay?" Luke asked, more than a little concerned. For as long as he knew Lando, the man liked to keep up his facade.

"It's... well, it could've been worse." He glanced directly at Luke. "It can still get worse unless we get out of here. And by out of here, I mean off-planet. So, let's go, shall we? Fetch your lightsaber- "

The lightsaber flew right into Luke's outstretched palm.

"Anything you need to get?"

Calrissian cracked a smile. "No, I'm good. There is _literally_ nothing else I would want from here. Now let's get moving."

Luke smiled back. Things didn't go exactly as he hoped they would, and there were some _urgent_ questions he needed to ask Calrissian... but in the end, he succeeded in finally reuniting himself with his friend.

* * *

After they got through the two security doors, Luke and Lando had to hastily navigate their way through Motok's busy streets, at the same time avoiding any of Zuri's remaining mercenaries. Thankfully, no blue-grey armor stood out from the crowd so far.

It was something of a rush-hour and the road was packed with people to the brim. Luke had to gently push a few locals out of the way just in order to move next to his wartime friend. As they walked through the sea of pedestrians, simultaneously trying to blend in (that's why Luke put his hood up), the aspiring Jedi decided that it would be imperative to ask Lando a few questions.

"So, as we have escaped that hangar... where are we going now? And, if I may ask, what in the Nine Hells had just happened? Why do we need to get off-planet _fast_?" He asked, hoping the smuggler had an explanation for all this. This entire situation... it was obviously something much more than just a deal gone wrong. Zuri was holding very strong, negative emotions towards Lando - she seemed to be grieving, almost.

"We'll go to the Docks for now... then we get on the Falcon and blast out of this System. As for what happened, it is a rather long story-" Luke shot him the good old _'don't-sell-me-bantha-crap'_ stare. "Hey, don't give me that look! I'll tell you everything, just not here. Too many people could... overhear."

That statement caused Luke to immediately look around in all directions, searching for something out of the ordinary.

"Alright. But when we get to the Falcon, you tell me all of it. And I mean _all_."

"Okay, okay, I hear you. And, I won't omit anything. You would know if I was hiding something, anyway... with all your wannabe-Jedi stuff. How's that going for you, by the way? Visited any special places over these past two years?"

Luke sighed, not sure where to begin.

His search for the forbidden Jedi knowledge was a far cry from what he had hoped it would be. Not that he didn't find anything useful, of course...

"Uh... I guess that's a talk for another time, as well. Let's just say that travels were... interesting. You could say that. Interesting, but not very rewarding most of the time. Since I have to lay low, some of the places I wish I could visit remain out of reach."

Any worlds under constant Imperial jurisdiction were on the list of places he couldn't exactly step foot on. Not with his father still looking for him.

After the Rebellion fell apart, Darth Vader seemed to double the efforts spent on pursuing him. He knew that Luke had no place to run to anymore, no place to call home. No fighting cause, either. He was alone, with Han and Leia just simply _gone _from his life. The wounds still hurt him, even now, and he was reminded of their absence every day.

But he also knew he couldn't give up. Not after all they gave him. So for their sake, he had kept running. He was running still, and this was where his fleeing led him to - back to Lando, the man whose path diverged from his right after the Rebellion ended.

To be truthful, he was glad he could see him again. For all his flaws, Lando was a good person at heart. He had missed him.

And, after everything was sorted out, the smuggler could actually help him! It was the reason for which Luke was so eager to embark on Cyrkon and have a meeting with the previously elusive man in the first place.

Lando would be the first stepping stone in finding Leia.

Wherever she was now, Luke would seek her out and help her, just as she helped him. He felt that maybe - no, he was _sure_ that it wasn't too late to save her. Leia was always strong.

The notion of reuniting with his lost twin - it kept him going. And now, he was hopeful. He thought that they could rebuild their lives, and maybe start something good again. Away from Vader, and the Emperor, and with their friends... safe.

Just safe.

Maybe it was a lie - maybe he was lying to himself, unwilling to see just how dire, how _irreversible_ all this was. But he couldn't help but hold on to this strand of hope as if it was a lifeline.

"Well, I see that you've improved. Tremendously! Or, at least I think so. Not sure what that little green troll would have said, but I think it wouldn't be far off."

Luke smiled involuntarily. It was nice of Lando to try and keep his spirits up.

Although being reminded of Yoda sent a sharp pang across his chest. His ally and mentor had died years ago, leaving him with a grim revelation. To this day, he wasn't sure how to feel about the old Jedi.

He seemed so trustworthy, and yet he was a liar. Just like Obi-Wan. They've both lied to him - or _omitted the whole truth_, as they would say. It left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. If they only _told him_ \- oh, so much could have been prevented! But thanks to them, it all happened, and along with his entire worldview, the whole Galaxy soon came crashing down around him, leaving nothing but despair.

Though he would be a liar if he kept telling himself it wasn't his fault, as well. His actions had led to this. Luke had been foolish and reckless, and he paid the price for his naivete.

If only he could turn back time...

"Thanks. I try."

Their rushed journey remained peaceful and mostly silent, up to a point. It was almost odd - Zuri said that there were many of her men in the area. Had she exaggerated their numbers?

It seemed so to Luke.

Just as he thought about that, there was a sudden pinprick at the back of his head. He quickly looked to the left and noticed three distinctive silhouettes squeezing trough the massive crowd. They all wore the same, blue-gray armor. _'Kriff!'_

"Lando?"

"What?"

"We need to hide, now." He then proceeded to push perturbed Calrissian right into a shop entrance. They rushed through the open door and were welcomed by a smell of oil, grease and something else Luke couldn't place.

A Duros at the counter seemed to have been startled by their unexpected entry. He hissed and cursed at them in Huttese. His protocol droid began translating the multiple slurs when Luke decided to cut in. As he focused and let the force flow through him, a warm and welcoming feeling blossomed under his skin.

"You will calm yourself and leave us in peace. We won't bother you." The Force suggestion he put in his words seemed to work. The alien repeated the sentence, his massive, bulging eyes glazed over. He then sat back down and returned to scrubbing a rusted piece of metal with a cloth, now seemingly oblivious to the two newcomers.

Lando exchanged a look with his companion. "Whew... Well, this took care of that."

"Yes, yes it did. But we still have the mercenaries to worry about. Do you think they saw us?"

The smuggler gently pushed Luke deeper into the store, behind the tall shelves filled with miscellaneous metal objects, while he slowly and silently approached the window. Positioned right next to it, he peeked out a little. No distinctive armor could be seen through the jungle of pedestrians.

"I think they are gone - probably passed this shop and are heading further. We should wait for a bit, though, so that we can lose them."

"Good plan." Luke's voice could be heard from behind quite a few shelvings.

Calrissian soon joined him, and they both tried to look as inconspicuous as possible while maintaining a lookout at the door.

"So... about what I asked you, earlier. We _are_ relatively alone now."

Lando looked at him as if the young Jedi had just hit him in a sore spot. "This isn't a story I want to tell you in a shabby junk shop. It's long, and complex and..." He trailed off, not sure what else to add.

He looked at him, searching for emotion surging behind the suave-scoundrel mask. Sadness, grief, and regret once again sparked in the Force.

"It's okay. I'll wait."

"It's just that- Eh, _kriff it_..." The smuggler sighed. "I'm gonna say this, Zuri was a friend of mine. Or at least I considered her so. We've been working together for a few months. Things went sideways once we got into business with none other than the Crimson Dawn. You know, one of big fish of the criminal underworld. I had my doubts but she insisted we needed the cash. It was all fine and dandy at the beginning, but then suddenly we had discovered our mission was in fact connected with the slave trade, and in a very significant way... and you know me, Luke. I couldn't stand for that. Let's just say that didn't win us any points with our co-workers. To sum it all up, everything ended in one, big disaster. The one even you got dragged into."

Luke paused, soaking the onslaught of information Lando had just released at him. The Force was telling him this clearly hadn't been the whole truth, that something was missing from this puzzle. But he didn't push on, not when his friend was in such a state. It wouldn't do him any good.

"_Oh_... that really _is_ a lot to unpack." It was if one thought about it. And also the huge piece of information that the smuggler left out didn't ease the rising tides of worry within Luke.

"Told you!" Lando pointed an accusatory finger at him, obviously trying to alleviate the newly risen tension.

Minutes ticked by and they waited in rather uncomfortable silence. Luke was mulling over what Lando had said, trying to uncover the connections missing.

After what felt like forever, the smuggler spoke again.

"I think we can get going. They should be far ahead from us by now."

"Alright then. Lead the way." Although they still had to get to the Falcon safely, all the while avoiding being caught, Luke was almost relieved they could finally get a move on.

* * *

After turning one final corner, at last, they were graced with the sight of the Motok's Main Docks. Having remained vigilant during the remainder of their journey, surprisingly no more of Zuri's men could be spotted by either of them. Because of that, Luke felt something was seriously amiss. His own gut, as well as the Force, seemed to warn him, the feeling of impending doom only intensifying by the minute.

"You know, I have a bad feeling about this."

Lando looked at him, gaze questioning. "How bad?"

"Well... It's hard to say. We haven't seen any more of Zuri's men on our way here. Don't tell me that it isn't odd."

"It is. But there's nothing else we can do. She may as well exploit that. Thank the Force she doesn't know where I left the Falcon, or else we would be seriously screwed."

"You left it in a public docking space - are you sure-"

"Yes, I am sure it is safe. I didn't give a thousand credits to that Toydarian so that he can sit on his ass and do nothing."

They walked by the entrance to Landing Bay E7, passing a pair of Zeltrons chatting away in the corner.

"So, which Landing Bay is it in?"

"E77."

E77 - it wasn't in the back of the compound, but not totally in the front either. With all the off-worlders and greedy merchants running around, on a planet such as Cyrkon it would be possible to cash in a few favors and make a ship be hard to find by external parties.

"Okay, let's say I get it." He sighed, trying to release some of the tension. "The Force though - it is warning me, Lando. We are about to step into something at least mildly unpleasant in the near future."

"Well, that's comforting." The smuggler patted Luke on the back. "Lossen up, damn it! It's going to be fine. We are going to leave here - and Zuri may give chase once we leave the atmosphere, but we _are_ going to get through that. How many times have we fled a planet? Have you by chance forgotten?"

He almost chuckled at the antics of his old friend. No, he certainly hasn't changed a bit. "No, I have not. It's just that, something's different this time. I don't know why."

"Well, try and figure it out later, once we fly off this rock. I assure you it'll work out better than doing it now."

The smuggler and Jedi duo passed the respective entrances to different parts of the compound, occasionally exchanging quips. Finally, they arrived at the long-awaited Landing Bay E77.

What they found, or rather didn't find had been the culmination of all Luke's previous fears. A strange tingle shot up his spine, and a feeling of anticipation arose in the fibers of the Force.

They both stared slack-jawed into the empty space which was supposed to be filled by the Millenium Falcon.

"Kriffing hell!"

* * *

**Author's note:**

Hey! I will be giving some information on my posting schedule (or lack thereof) and some other stuff.

As you can see, there's been quite a time gap between chapters. Over 4 months. It's mostly because I usually have a lot of schoolwork (and even in times of quarantine they shower us with assignments anyway). In conclusion, chapters are going to be posted rather irregularly - I'm really sorry about that, considering there are people actually interested in this story. But I'll do my best.

If I am to be honest, I came up with this right after I watched TROS. I wasn't really that enamored with the movie - I'm not really a fan of the sequel trilogy - but I guess the inspiration just came.

I drafted the first chapter and intended it to be something like a one-shot. But then I came up with this whole plot (or an outline of one), and I decided to share it with you guys. I hope I won't disappoint you.

I am not from an English-speaking country and I'm not sure how much it shows. This is the second story I posted here - not sure if I'll ever fully come back to the first one. But if someone's curious I have a rough draft of chapter 3 for In the Middle of Nowhere unpublished. _Maybe one day._

Stay safe guys and see you in the next chapter!


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